Kilts and hot weather

[kingandrew]

I am from Florida and now live on the beach near Hong Kong, so a good percentage of my kilt wearing is in conditions considerably warmer than is typical in Scotland.

For me, the kilt is actually pretty nice in the warm weather, since it provides good ventilation and is not too confining. So it doesn't get soaked with sweat, stick to your body, and create the chafing that more form-fitting garments can under these conditions.

Much depends on how heavy the material is and how many yards of it are in the kilt, of course. A lighter-weight (10-13 oz.) fabric will help and a 5-yard kilt will be cooler than an 8-yard kilt.

I have a cotton "comfy kilt" from Sport Kilt that I wear for running races, which is actually quite cool and comfortable.

In hot weather, it is often advisable to wear headgear with a good brim for sun protection. You may find a panama hat or pith helmet more useful than a Balmoral bonnet in sunny, humid conditions.

Lighter weight kilt socks will also be helpful. Sock Dreams sells cotton kilt socks that are very cool and comfortable, although they do look thinner and have a less decorated turn-down than the more traditional wool hose.

Any comfortable shirt is OK with the kilt. Many members here wear cotton polo shirts in the summer. I have a sleeveless "ghillie" shirt I wear running races. I also have a few very light weight shirts with a banded or henley-style collar that are both cool and nice-looking with the kilt. Safari-style shirts also work well. For dressier events, I wear a cotton dress shirt and roll up the sleeves.

I had a tailor make me a summer-weight kilt jacket. It is unlined and made of cotton shirt material. So I can wear that if I have a more formal daytime event in the heat.

I hope this is helpful. I think you will be able to wear your kilt in comfort and style, even in muggy conditions.

Andrew